Lisa Hayes was the third character featured in the show's love triangle between Rick Hunter and Lynn Minmei. Lisa was depicted as the near polar-opposite of Minmei. Rather than being a flighty, emotional, and somewhat self-centered teenager, Lisa was mature, no-nonsense, and a strong individual. However, at the same time, Lisa was secretly very insecure, and her tough exterior seemed little more than a front to protect herself emotionally. It was also suggested that Lisa does not have a lot of romantic experience with men.

History

The Zentraedi Incursion

“

That pilot's an imposter! I'd gone through the entire registry and I find no record such a person.

”

—Lisa Hayes

In February 2009, Lisa took her position as First Officer with the rank of lieutenant commander aboard the SDF-1 as it prepared to launch approximately 10 years after it crashed on Earth. However, the sudden arrival of the Zentraedi in Earth orbit marked the beginning of the First Robotech War. In the initial battle, Lisa played a major role in the survival of the SDF-1, as it fought against Zentraedi forces. After a miscalculated fold maneuver transported the SDF-1 and Macross City past the orbit of Pluto, Lisa time and again saved the ship with her quick thinking and actions, as well as her continuous attention to detail and duty as First Officer. During a battle near Saturn, Lisa created the Daedelus Maneuver as a means of attacking and destroying an enemy Zentraedi vessel.

Bye Bye Mars

“

I'm not leaving this room. I don't know why you're here but you can leave right now.

When the SDF-1 was trapped on Mars by Gravity Mines set by Khyron, Lisa personally set the power generators of Sara Base to overload. While wandering the facility, she came across the quarters of her former love, Karl Riber. The experience deeply affected her, as she never found out what happened to him while he was stationed in the base. The ensuing explosion took out the Gravity Mines, allowing the fortress to take off. Lisa didn't expect to survive this operation, but she was rescued by Rick Hunter, whom she still regarded as immature and brash. The rescue earned Rick a medal and he is promoted to Group leader of Vermillion Squadron much to the initial dislike of Lisa.

Captive

“

I mean it, Ben. I'm serious. I won't kiss him. He made up that absolutely ridiculous scheme just because he wants to kiss me. I know I maybe naive but I'm not stupid.

”

—Lisa Hayes

Love at first sight.

Lisa proved her physical, as well as emotional, strength when she, along with Rick Hunter and Ben Dixon, were captured and brought on board the main Zentraedi stronghold and interrogated by Supreme Commander Dolza, Breetai and Exedore. Lisa, suspicious as to why Dolza doesn't just order his massive fleet to attack the SDF-1, yells that Dolza doesn't have the power to attack and that the SDF-1 was far superior to his "bucket of bolts." Dolza, infuriated, slammed his hand on the table with enough force to caused the captives to lose their balance. Dolza then extended his hand and grasps Lisa, lifted her up in front of her face. He ordered her to tell him by what process humans become human-size. Lisa, defiant, refused to respond, and Dolza tightened his grip around her until she screamed in pain. Rick, fearing that Dolza would kill Lisa, yelled at him to stop squeezing her and explained that humans are born, at their current size, when a man and woman love each other. When Breetai asked how "this love" was often expressed, Rick responded that it was often done by kissing one another. Demanding a demonstration, Dolza suggested that Rick and Ben kiss one another, but Rick refuses. As Dolza threatened to crush all of them if he doesn't see a demonstration, Lisa said she would demonstrate. After Dolza returns her to the table, Lisa orders Rick to kiss her, an action which shocked Dolza and the other Zentraedi present. This kiss, ironically, was the start of Rick and Lisa's difficult romance and the beginning of the love triangle between Rick, Lisa and Lynn Minmei.

After being rescued, Lisa shook off the event and immediately returned to duty, but she could not help the feelings she was now developing for Rick, and soon became jealous of his obsession with Minmei. Lisa and Rick's personal relationship would continue to mature, and would eventually progress into an uneasy friendship. Rick was initially uncomfortable around Lisa, not only because she was a superior officer but also because she was five years older than he was. Rick remained fixated on Minmei, hanging her posters in his home, much to the dismay of Lisa (who turned one of the posters upside down in annoyance). Yet despite Rick's feelings, Minmei's music career and her cousin Lynn Kyle, made their romance more and more difficult.

Rain of Death

“

Well we might be the only survivors. It'll be sad to think that we're the only ones left.

Before the battle against Dolza's grand fleet, Lisa returned to Earth to meet with her father and finds herself prohibited from returning to the SDF-1. During this time she was promoted to the rank of a full commander. Lisa was working as an operations/communications officer at the underground Alaska Base when the battle begins. Although the base survived the initial bombardment, which devastated 95% of the surface, it sustained heavy damage, trapping Lisa deep inside. Furthermore, her father, Donald Hayes' attempted for a second firing of the Grand Cannon which resulted in a massive explosion that killed him before Lisa's eyes while communicating with him. Rick, in his damaged but operable Veritech fighter, left the battle in space after picking up Lisa's distress call. Rick flew deep into the base, despite the danger of energy blasts and structural collapses and reached Lisa. The two run to each other's arms and hug before jumping back into Rick's fighter. The two barely escaped and fly together in each others arms to safe location and watch the SDF-1 land after its victory.

Reconstruction Period

“

Quit talking like some silly simpering schoolgirl. You're a military woman, born, bred, and trained and you're too much of a scrapper to give up like this without a fight!

It took some time, but Lisa eventually falls for the brash Rick Hunter. She's clearly too good for him.

In 2012, following the defeat of the Zentraedi Grand Fleet, Lisa settled down in New Macross City and worked toward rebuilding Earth after the devastation from the war. During this Reconstruction Era, Lisa continued to struggle with the feelings she had for Rick which were not returned as Rick continued to pursue Minmei, despite everything that he and Lisa have been through together. Lisa was frustrated that even though Rick knew how she felt about him, he continued to fixate on Minmei despite the fact that she barely spent any time with him. As her jealousy of Minmei grows, Lisa began to realize just how lonely she truly was.

In early 2013, while sitting at an outdoor cafe, she contemplated the love triangle between the three of them when she overheard two men talking about how women were "dealt all the aces" when it comes to relationships, to which Lisa says to herself "that's all you know...here's one woman who would trade every ace in the deck for one Rick Hunter." Lisa then spotted her friends, Max Sterling and Miriya Parina Sterling, happily walking together while pushing a baby carriage.

The Sterlings stopped for a moment and Max, proudly smiling, reached into the carriage and lifts little Dana Sterling, their new baby, into his arms while Miriya watched with joy. Max then made a funny face and Dana smiled in response. Lisa thought to herself "they look so happy, I can just imagine how it must be. If only Rick could understand" and momentarily, in Lisa's mind, she saw herself and Rick in place of Max and Miriya. Lisa's thoughts were then interrupted when she heard Minmay's songs on a portable radio being carried by two soldiers nearby. One of the soldiers stated that he would give a month's pay just to meet her. Lisa gets up and walks away, thinking to herself "There doesn't seem to be any way I can escape you Minmei. I guess some women really were dealt all the aces."

Special Operations

In June 2013, Lisa, newly promoted to the rank of captain, along with Rick, Max, Miriya and Claudia participate in an operation under Breetai to capture the last remaining Zentraedi Robotech Factory Satellite in deep space. During the mission, Lisa tried to talk to Rick about their troubled relationship but they were interrupted when Breetai's ship defolded near the factory. As a diversionary tactic, Breetai suggested that Rick and Lisa kiss on screen in front of the hostile Zentraedi (who have had no exposure to human emotions) to disorient them long enough for the rest of the plan to be executed. Rick initially refused but Lisa forces him to kiss her, much to his dismay.

Khyron's Revenge

“

You should be more discreet when you have people coming over. Last night, I came by and your door was open. I know all about Minmei.

”

—Lisa Hayes

Lisa Hayes embarrassed at having to expose herself to her friends.

In the fall of 2013, when Rick rescued Minmei and Kyle after they were kidnapped by Khyron, Minmei ran to Rick's arms and the two embrace while Lisa, visibly upset, watched with anger and sadness and the two got into a fight. After a failed attempt at reconciling, Lisa then decided that Rick would never be with her due to his feelings for Minmei, and she gave up and decided to resign her military career after nearly suffering a nervous breakdown from the whole ordeal.

In January 2014, Lisa would earn command of the Super Dimension Fortress-2 Megalord which would require her to leave Earth; before leaving Lisa stopped by Rick's home to tell him of her promotion and that, despite it all, she truly loved him. Unfortunately, this command would be short-lived, as the SDF-2 would be destroyed in a suicide run by Zentraedi renegade Khyron. Lisa was nearly killed in the crossfire as she tried to get to the SDF-2, but Rick came to her rescue and helped her the rest of the way. The SDF-1 was also destroyed in this battle. Lisa was the only member of the Bridge crew to survive - Admiral Henry Gloval, Commander Claudia Grant, Lt. Sammie Porter and Lt. Kim Young die at their posts. Lisa only survived because Admiral Gloval pushed her into the only remaining functional escape pod.

Aftermath

“

Rick, what about the mission? All of our battle cruisers have been destroyed. How can we get to the stars?

”

—Lisa Hayes

Following Battle of New Macross City, Rick and Minmei's relationship was ended as Minmei beged Rick not to leave her during the battle. Rick tried to explain that his job as a soldier required him to fight, something which Minmei could not understand or accept and Rick must tear himself away from her to join the battle. At the end of the battle, Rick realized that he could never be with Minmei and that Lisa, who shared his commitment to the military and the defense of Earth, was the one he loves. Minmei, although sad, accepted that she and Rick can never be together due to his dedication to his military career and her dedication to her music career.

Reorganization

In the wake of Khyron's sneak attack, Rick and Lisa wasted little time in helping the Robotech Defense Force evacuate the remaining civilians from New Macross City. The decision was made to have all refugees transferred to Monument City, as well as the other outlying cities willing to accept them. As weeks passed and relief efforts slowly poured in, normalcy began to finally settle back in. A memorial was held in honor of Captain Henry Gloval and the crew of the SDF-1 and 2. Lisa delivered an impassioned speech, calling for peace between humanity and the disenfranchised Zentraedi, and vowed to lobby for aid to be delivered to the Zentraedi Control Zones. The speech was widely televised, and helped pave the way to an uneasy ceasefire.

Marriage

By late 2014, Rick asked for Lisa's hand in marriage, which she who gladly accepted. The two decided to forego a grand wedding, and instead chose a smaller, understated event attened by close friends. The couple reaffirmed their vows, stating they would travel the stars together. Much to the shock of some in the audience, Minmei was in attendance, and even agreed to perform during the reception.

The Long Road

Rick and Lisa, finally together, spent the next eight years overseeing the rebuilding of Earth's defenses, the expeditionary forces in deep space, and the construction of the Super Dimension Fortress-3 Pioneer (SDF-3). Despite the long and rocky start, Rick and Lisa formed a strong and lasting romance that stood the test of time.

Pioneer Expedition

In December 2022, Lisa, now at age 37 and an Admiral of the fleet, took command of the SDF-3, flagship of the Robotech Expeditionary Force (REF) to which was about to depart after the groundwork was laid years prior by earlier expeditions. The mission's primary goal, set by the Gloval Initiative, was to find the Robotech Masters and prevent another catastrophic war on Earth. Although they hoped the mission would be over quickly, events would keep the SDF-3 away from Earth for the next 22 years.

Notes

Shōji Kawamori, creator of the original The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, noted that Hikaru (Rick Hunter in Robotech) and Misa's first face-to-face encounter set up Misa's (Lisa Hayes in Robotech) role as the heroine. (Kawamori has said that in Macross, Hikaru was the hero, Misa was the heroine, and Minmay (Lynn Minmei in Robotech) was the star.)

The story of Misa (Lisa Hayes in Robotech) and Riber's romance and the tragedy of the Mars Base crew was retold in the novel "Misa Hayase: White Reminiscences." The crew died after they evacuated the base and were attacked by Anti-United Nations forces en route back to Earth.

According to Shōji Kawamori, the episode "Bye-Bye Mars" focused on Misa's past to develop her point of view over Minmay's. The creator had always planned for Hikaru to save Misa several times during the series. However, the original preproduction plans didn't call for Hikaru's string of rescues to start until episode 12.